View/download Democracy in Action Award Application & Guidelines

The Union League Civic & Arts Foundation and the Union League Club Public Affairs Committee have partnered to launch this new program aimed to award an Illinois high school junior or senior who has offered exemplary leadership to his or her community. The Democracy in Action Award (DIAA) is intended to recognize a young person who has demonstrated an understanding of and commitment to the principles of democracy and whose actions have advanced civic involvement by young people.

Examples of the factors by which nominees for the DIAA will be evaluated may include the degree to which they have exhibited civic leadership among their peers, demonstrated an understanding of civic responsibilities and the principles of governance in American democracy, encouraged fellow students and/or the broader community to participate in civil discourse, championed understanding of democratic principles, and facilitated civic participation through voter registration or some other service project that emphasizes the values of citizenship.

This program will further both the Foundation’s mission to support education and civic responsibility for children and young adults and the in the Chicago area and the Club’s commitment to community and country.

Barrington High School senior, Patrick G. Lee, received the first place award in the Union League Club of Chicago’s annual Democracy in Action award competition for his “innate sense of civic duty and service and his commitment to public service.” Lee was nominated for the award because of the active role he took in establishing the first Chicago area suburban high school unit of the Mikva Challenge program, a non-profit, non-partisan service-learning program focused on public policy and leadership development. Two Chicago Public High School seniors, Oscar Bahena, of Steinmetz Academic Centre, and Anahi Tapia, a Curie Metropolitan High School student, earned honorable mention awards in the competition. Bahena assists Illinois legislators, volunteers as election judge, and advises Chicago school superintendent. Tapia works to change her community through a citizenship registry program. .